Google 'poised to avoid FTC antitrust action'

Google is poised to avoid a major federal antitrust lawsuit in a lengthy investigation into its internet search practices, according to reports.

The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg reported late yesterday (January 2) that the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) could reach a final decision this week on its almost two-year Google antitrust probe.

Google, the world's number one search engine, has been accused of placing its own products higher up in the web search results to the detriment of its competitors, including Microsoft and Yelp.

Google has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, although there have been reports that the FTC could file a similar antitrust lawsuit as it did against Microsoft in the 1990s.

The Wall Street Journal said that the FTC was close to completing its investigation into Google's search practices when the firm offered to make voluntary changes. This prompted the regulator to delay its final decision until it had considered Google's offer.

Sources have said that the settlement would enable the FTC to enforce Google's commitments to revise its search practices.

Google would also enter what is known as a consent decree - a binding judicial order that would cover the smartphone patents it acquired as part of the Motorola Mobility acquisition.

Neither the FTC nor Google have commented on the reports.

The FTC could announce its decision as early as Thursday, but the regulator has been warned not to act hastily in the investigation.

Campaign group FairSearch.org, which represents several of Google's rivals including Microsoft, said that the FTC should wait until regulators in Europe have completed their own investigation into Google's search dominance.

"If the FTC fails to take decisive action to end Google's anti-competitive practices, and locks itself out of any remedies to Google's conduct that are offered in Europe later this month, the FTC will have acted prematurely and failed in its mission of protecting America's consumers," FairSearch.org wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.